Tranh Haus
Tranh Haus A dimension vaguely mimicking the sights and sounds of 1920s Shanghai and modeled after the Ancient City of Ping Yao, China (and kind of looks like the ancient city of Hue). Almost everyone there are girls who were either kidnapped from their dimensions or dollgirls. There is a strong scent of incense in the streets, curved roofs, lanterns, and bun peddlers. It can be reached from tesseracts, or gateways in the Au Yin hill monuments. Julia however, entered the dimension using a magical book. If someone from our world goes there, her clothing will morph into its appropriately Qing Dynasty version and all modern day artefacts brought along will morph into harmless vintage items like mirrors, fans or stress balls. The individual, on her arrival won't be able to talk normally - her words would be garbled, as her speech centre is magically undergoing a rearrangement. After two days, she will talk fluently. The individual who has been in Tranh Haus for so long would be taken in as a permanent resident, i.e her existence in her own world would be erased as if she never even born. Her old memories will be erased from her mind and be collected in an essence orb, to be kept as a personal heirloom. Her name and identity in Tranh Haus would be reminiscent of their past lives (e.g. 'Jill' becomes 'Ji Li', and her mercenary job becomes a chicken catcher job in Tranh Haus). But as an exception, the Gatekeeper Claire Shiri can pass through Tranh Haus freely without any side effects. Around Tranh Haus is a large wall, which has no entry or exit points, and this proves that it is a closed dimension by itself isolated in space and time. In the middle of the realm is a high towered pagoda palace, which resides the Empress of the realm. Nobody ever sees her. Some argue that she maybe walking freely, unnoticed among the meek citizens. An enigmatic figure named Zhi Wah Toh is said to be chained upside down in the pagoda dungeons for an unknown crime. reference pictures Complex-of-Hué-Monuments-Imperial-Citadel.jpg|hue1 Complex-of-Hué-Monuments-The-pagoda-in-Vietnam.jpg|huepillar HueMonuments.jpg|hue3 The-Complex-of-Hue-Monuments.jpg|hue4 pingyao_old_town__chinese_famous_ancient_townd3dce414ea802decdd84.jpg|pingyao1 1.1247488666.cour-interieure-de-notre-hotel-a-pingyao.jpg|py2 pingyao1.jpg|py3 site_0812_0001-333-500-20110422153721.jpg|py4 temple_st_pingyao.jpg|py5 Artist's Notes "The clothing of the people of Tranh Haus were inspired by those simple costumes worn by the dancers of the Mandarin language and culture club of my school back in 1998. Much easier than drawing qi paos everytime." Culture Any wrongdoer would be tied to one of the poles in the central square with a balled up piece of paper in the mouth. Passersby would fling trash or slap the tied wrongdoer. The amount of time being tied depends on the wrongdoing. Caste *Mistresses - Owners of businesses or houses, living in mansions with a lot of servants, mostly kidnapped. *Dolls - Humans turned into doll, stripped from free will. Can be bought by mistresses to become servants. *Regulars - Fully taken in girls (and sometimes boys). Are doomed to repeat the same routine day by day. They are generally unfriendly towards foreigns or newly takens. Some occupations include: **servants **peddlers (usually for artist types) **dancers or performers **Rickshaw drivers (usually bound to their rickshaws) **Cooks People Residents * Venus Tai Ling Fan the dollmaker * Fania the alter ego of Shawna * The mysterious "Author" who constantly writes her neverending book, chained to her desk. Newly arrived * Xafina - who entered the realm after her friend Maiya * Jill * A stupid Drow who was dragged by Jill - becomes a servant/rickshaw puller for a Mistress * Ekyn who narrowly escaped dollification * Neve who entered by magic mirror * Karen Lee - became a Doll * Julia who becomes the librarian Li Ping * Arina * Linsy - also became a Doll * Julie - also became a Doll * Rinny - also became a Doll